A new UK-based study of 8,000 new car buyers concluded that 46% of them (about 3,680) were ready and willing to complete their entire auto purchase online.
The study, performed by Capgenini, reported that online buyers were comfortable with taking others’ car reviews over test driving new cars for themselves and that online buying relieved the pressure of in-person negotiation. In fact, 37% of those surveyed said that they would be willing to purchase a car they had not test driven.
In an age when you can handle everything from your next vacation to college courses and finding a new boyfriend online, it does seem as if the car industry is lagging behind. People sidestep the mall during the holidays by doing their Christmas shopping online. We pay our bills online just to avoid cutting checks and addressing envelopes. The inconvenience of spending hours on showroom floor, waiting for management, uncomfortable in-person negotiations, etc. is not long for internet-savvy new car buyers.
